Changes to Temporary Food Permits
The Province has made applying for a temporary food permit more efficient. (Province of Nova Scotia / File)
With summer festival, fair and exhibition season kicking into high gear, the Province has introduced changes to make it quicker and easier to apply for a temporary food permit.
Temporary food permits are required under Nova Scotia’s Food Safety Regulations when food is prepared or served to the public for a period of 14 days or fewer within a 60-day period per location; for example, at community festivals and fairs.
“Across Nova Scotia, food brings people together,” said Timothy Halman, Minister of Environment and Climate Change. “Festivals, fairs and other community events with food are also important fundraisers for community organizations and are usually run by volunteers. These changes support better client service and more efficient delivery of government services so that community groups don’t have to spend unnecessary hours on paperwork, while still giving the public confidence that the food served is safe.”
The changes are:
- all information on temporary food permits now available in one online location
- the application form reduced by half and simplified to make it quicker and easier to complete
- clearer rules on who needs a permit
- an expanded list of exempted foods not needing a permit rewritten in plain language; available in English, French, Arabic, Chinese and Hindi
- one application that can be used to apply for temporary food permits for multiple events hosted by the same vendor or organization in the same calendar year; in the past, a separate application was required for every event.
Quotes:
“The Province’s updated strategy for temporary food event permits has been a game-changer. The streamlined application process is clearer, more concise and easier for vendors to follow. Their increased engagement and earlier, well-communicated deadlines have significantly reduced the burden on event organizers like us – saving time, improving compliance and giving vendors more runway to prepare and succeed.”
— Richard Yang, lead organizer, Taste of Asia Food & Culture Festival
“As a small business owner, I understand just how precious time truly is, and I know many fellow entrepreneurs would agree. That’s why I was genuinely thrilled to learn about the recent updates to the temporary food permit process. The new process is not only more efficient, but it also saves valuable time and resources for everyone involved. I’m already looking forward to completing the updated application method for all my temporary events in Nova Scotia.”
— Emma MacIsaac, owner/operator, Tater King
Quick Facts:
- the Department issued more than 900 temporary event permits in 2024, about half of them for one-day events
Additional Resources:
Information on temporary food permits and application forms: https://www.novascotia.ca/nse/food-protection/temporary-food-events.asp